A concerned parent says students are unlikely to return to the temporarily-closed Stanley Primary School if it's reopened in two years time.

Katherine Collins, whose daughter is the fifth generation of her family to attend the school, said the education minister and department "have really let the community and our family down".

The Department of Education this week advised that the tiny north-east Victorian school would not reopen next year, but would not be officially classified as "closed".

The school has not run any classes in 2013, with students forced to travel to nearby Beechworth.

The Department of Education said in a statement that the Stanley school "was not closing but would remain destaffed next year while the department continues to monitor and confirm population movements".

Ms Collins said the Department told her it would not be viable to run the school with only eight students.

"I know there's lots of schools across the country with less," she said.

"At the beginning of the year we had six that were going to start up and that they were going to run it with that six.

"I don't think they want Stanley to go forward, I think the Stanley community have other ideas for the school.

"I know the post office was pretty keen to take it over and I know the fire brigade actually put in an expression of interest, they want part of the land as well."

Ms Collins said the closure of the school was an emotional issue for her.

"My father-in-law passed away last year who went to school there and his grandfather and his grandfather before that," she said.

"And he said to me no matter what it takes, 'Fight it 'til the end to see if you can keep the school open'."